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This is a brief guide to researching records of Anglican or Roman Catholic clergy. Many records of clergy survive, especially Anglican clergy, and they are held in a variety of archives. There are also some useful online databases to consult. Records of the clergy held by The National Archives contain little information useful to family historians.

What do I need to know before I start?

Try to find out:

the name of the person

a date range to focus your search

in which diocese the person was ordained, and the name of their church or parish

What records can I see online?

There are no records of members of the clergy available online.

What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?

The National Archives is not the best place to find records of Church of England clergy.

Records of Roman Catholics (1580-1858)

Consult the in-depth research guide onÂ Catholics for information about which series to search. The records of Roman Catholics held at The National Archives mostly relate to the imposition of fines or seizures of land for failure to attend Protestant services.

What records can I find in other archives and organisations?

Church of England clergy

Download the source guides from the Lambeth Palace Library website to trace an Anglican clergyman from the 17th century onwards.